


Into the Unknown

by Redacted_03



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling, LEGO Harry Potter (Video Games)
Genre: Drarry, F/F, F/M, Fuck JK Rowling, Harry Potter - Freeform, Harry Potter books, Hogwarts, M/M, Magic, Prophecy, befriend draco, daughter of Regulus Black, daughter of black, linny - Freeform, luna and ginny are girlfriends and no one can convince me otherwise, muggle
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-09-19
Updated: 2020-10-28
Packaged: 2021-03-08 01:54:49
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 9
Words: 10,447
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26547850
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Redacted_03/pseuds/Redacted_03
Summary: Growing up reading Harry Potter, it is a massive surprise to River when she ends up walking into Hogwarts. It must be a dream of course, after all, magic isn't real, Harry Potter is just a book series, right?Blessed with the knowledge of the future, will River be able to save the characters she once loved so dearly, or will her presence ruin everything in a world where she does not belong?
Relationships: Cedric Diggory/George Weasley, Draco Malfoy/Harry Potter, Fred Weasley/Original Female Character(s), Fred Weasley/Reader, Hermione Granger/Ron Weasley, Luna Lovegood/Ginny Weasley, Regulus Black/Original Female Character(s), Sirius Black/Remus Lupin
Comments: 6
Kudos: 47





	1. Extraordinary

River Aspen Jones was an ordinary person. She grew up in an ordinary house, with an ordinary family and liked ordinary things. At the age of 7, all she wished was to be extraordinary, to be able to walk into her wardrobe and end up in Narnia, to receive a letter on her 11th birthday telling her that she was magical, to come face to face with a minotaur and run away from monsters to find out she was a demigod. Of course, no matter how hard she hoped, none of this happened, because River was ordinary.

The summer of 2020 had been a long one, and as the last week of august appeared, River found herself looking forward to going back to college and getting back into a proper routine, but until then, she still appreciated the freedom of not having to study. That is how, on a sunny Tuesday morning, River found herself walking through the nearby forest.

Straying from the path and exploring the woods was something River started doing that summer. She loved to just look at the trees, and was fascinated by the way the branches and leaves moved with the wind, and the different wildflowers that bloomed without the need of human care. Once River had even seen a wild rabbit hop out of a hole under a tree and sniff about on the search of something. Sometimes, although she would never admit it, she would pick up a stick and pretend she was a child again, pretending to wield a sword, or attempt magic, daydreaming the time away.

She thought a lot while walking. Sometimes humming a tune, other times in silence, wondering about nothing, and everything at the same time. River was so deep in thought about what her favourite pokemon was, she didn't realise that the grass and weeds were overgrown, that she had reached an area of the woods no one had explored in years. When a rabbit ran through a gap between two trees and disappeared, she did not notice, too caught up about thinking what her dad will be cooking for dinner. And as she stepped through the same way, a shiver ran up her spine. Thinking it was just a cold breeze, she continued debating what food it will be, hoping there wouldn't be too many vegetables on her plate. She did not realise that the trees around her had suddenly gotten massive, or that the mushrooms growing in clusters were not native to her own forest, or that there were hoof prints embedded in the dirt, something which surely would not be possible as no horses lived anywhere nearby. As far as River was aware, it was just an ordinary walk in the forest. At least until she found herself staring in the eyes of a hippogriff.

_I must be dreaming, ___

she thought, staring into its eyes and trying not to blink.

~

River awoke to a pounding headache and a sore left shoulder. It almost felt like a large dog had tackled her to the ground, however she found herself no longer in the forest. She clumsily moved her hand around in search of her glasses, knocking over a glass full of water in the process, before finally picking up the specs.

It looked almost like she was in the infirmary from a movie about world war two. The beds looked old fashioned, and the architecture of the building contained giant windows, out of which a forest could be seen, along with a lake and a -

"Oh thank goodness you're awake!" A lady's voice said. River looked to see an old lady approach before realising that her left arm was in a sling, and blood was dripping from her shoulder. The woman was quick to clean and rebandage the wound.

"It may leave a bit of scarring and will ache for a while but you're going to be okay, just make sure to be gentle with your arm" she smiled. The large double doors at the end of the room opened, and an old man with a long silver beard walked in.

"I would like a word with your patient Poppy," he said calmly. Poppy quickly used her wand to clear up the broken glass of water on the floor before retreating to her office. After a while of awkward silence, the man spoke.

"who are you?"

"I could ask you the same thing"

The man gave a perplexed look and stroke his beard muttering something under his breath.

"I am Professor Dumbledore, and you are currently in the hospital wing of Hogwarts, school of witchcraft and wizardry"

_I must be dreaming, ___

River thought.

_I must've knocked myself out while walking in the forest. A tree branch must have fallen and hit my head. Any second now I'll wake up, and be back in the forest, or my own bed._

"I- I'm River"

"Do you know how you got here?"

"I was walking in the woods next to my house and then... I woke up here" she explained, using her right hand to fiddle with the bedsheets.

"And where do you live"

"South of England, near the sea"

Dumbledore's eyes gleamed. "You must be very good at magic to travel all the way to Scotland then"

"I can't do magic", River stuttered. "Its not real"

"You are a witch" Dumbledore stated, taking a seat in the chair next to the bed. "Otherwise you would not be able to see the castle, there are charms in place to prevent muggles from coming near. And after all, why would you have a wand if you were not a witch?"

"Wand? I don't have a-" Dumbledore pointed to the wand on her bedside table. It was about 12 inches long, and had engravings of vines along the handle. River picked it up and a soft wind blew. Somehow, she knew that the wand had chosen her.

"It was found on the floor next to where you were found"

"This doesn't make sense"

"Why?" Dumbledore raised an eyebrow, looking like he already knew what River was going to answer.

"Where I'm from, all of this, Hogwarts and magic, it is just a story. If I really had magic, I would've gotten my letter when I was 11 right?"

"And when were you born?"

"2003"

Dumbledore's eyes widened slightly. He muttered to himself again, thinking quietly out loud.  
"How old are you now?"

"My 17th birthday was last week"

"I may not know how or why you are here, but it is clear that you have magic, and therefore you have the right to call Hogwarts your home." he stated, waving his wand. "You shall join the 6th years, as a transfer student from ilvemory, and I'm sure the Weasleys will be glad to look after you until term starts."

It was then that an old rugged hat came flying into the room. Although she already knew the sorting hat could talk, she still jumped slightly as it was placed on her head and began speaking.

_You are very interesting aren't you? Oh yes, what a life you've lived but this is only the beginning. Oh..? This is just a dream? How amusing. Ah you're a loyal one aren't you? Hufflepuff will do you well, yet there's a fire inside you, my one might say your bravery is foolish. Well, it better be-_

"GRYFFINDOR!"


	2. 2 - The Burrow

Shortly after being sorted, Madam Pomfrey returned, carrying a golden goblet which had the Hogwarts crest engraved into it. River had no idea what drink it was, but once she had drunken it, her muscles ached less, her head stopped pounding and she felt light and at peace. Soon after, Dumbledore held out his arm.

"Normally it is impossible to apparate within the castle, but being headmaster has its perks" He winked. River grabbed onto hit and held her breath.  
Nothing could have prepared her for the discomfort of apparating. She was being pushed and pulled in all directions, her chest tightened and just when she thought she was about to pass out for the second time that day, oxygen filled her lungs once more, and there was ground beneath her. Immediately, River let go of Dumbledore's arm, dropped onto her knees and threw up in the grass.

"Ah yes, most people do end up vomit their first time apparating" Dumbledore stated, holding out a hand to help River get back to her feet.

"That was... something" River laughed.

They had travelled to a field in which the most peculiar house stood. Mismatched rooms seemed to have been added upwards, carefully staying upright with a mixture of wooden beams and magic. It looked ridiculous but in the most spectacular way. The sun had begun to set, giving the place a warm glow. Suddenly, a kind-faced woman came running out of the house, scattering the chickens.

"I assume you received my message Molly" Dumbledore smiled as the woman came to a halt. She smoothed out her flower print apron and pocketed her wand.

"Yes I got it while cooking dinner, oh! and you must be River!" Molly quickly gave River an affectionate hug. "come in! It's meatballs for dinner, and you must've had a long day. Would you like to join us Albus?"

"Thank you, but I have Hogwarts business to attend to," Dumbledore said before turning to River "When you arrive at Hogwarts I will make sure your supplies will be waiting for you in your room. Enjoy the rest of your summer"

Dumbledore disapparated with a loud crack while Molly turned and walked back into the house, soon followed by River. The kitchen was small and rather cramped, with a large wooden table with chairs in the middle. There were two clocks hung to the wall, one with a spoon for each family member showing their location, the other had things written around the edges instead of numbers like 'time to feed the chickens' and 'you're late'. Several cooking books were stacked on a shelf above the sink, along with a small radio.

"Everyone else has already had dinner, apart from Arthur and Percy. The ministry has been in a rush to fix things since the Quidditch World Cup of course-"

She flicked her wand casually and a plate gently flew towards where River was sitting, shortly followed by a dancing knife and fork. The food was insanely good, and River was quick to accept a second helping. Just as she finished and Molly flicked her wand to send the plate to wash itself, a group of four boys walked inside, merrily laughing about quidditch. One by one they stopped talking as they noticed River. 

_The Twins, Ron and Harry Potter ___

__River thought._ _

____

__

"Who the hell are you?" Ron asked confused about the stranger sitting in his house. River felt her cheeks redden.

"Language Ronald!" Molly said, "River will be staying with us for the rest of summer. She is a guest and therefore I don't want any of you to cause her any trouble alright?" She glared at Fred and George.

"Us? -" said Fred

"Trouble?" said George

"Never!" They smirked in unison.

After having apple crumble for pudding, River was sent to the 3rd floor as Molly explained she will be staying in Bill and Charlie's old room. There were two beds on either side of the room, and a desk in between. On the left side, the wall was covered in various sketches of magic creatures, most of which were different breeds of dragons. Tired from the long day and full from a good homecooked meal, River immediately got into one of the beds and tried falling asleep.

_I think this must be one of the best dreams I've ever had, ___

she thought to herself, turning to get more comfortable under the duvet. Her hand clashed with something soft and she opened her eyes briefly to see a red and gold knitted dragon before falling into a deep sleep.

~

River awoke to the sound of rain softly tapping against the window. She burrowed herself under the covers and curled up, keeping her eyes shut trying to remember the dream she had just had before it faded away. It seemed so realistic at times, yet all dreams are while you're dreaming them. Deciding to get ready for the day, River sat upright and looked outside of the window to be met with darkness. It was still nighttime, the moon bright in the sky, the stars twinkling dimly. There were so many of them, River stared in awe before realising that something was deeply wrong. She looked around the room, then rushed downstairs, and looked outside.

No streetlights, no cars, no houses, no roads. Nothing but fields and clusters of trees.  
Reaching into her pocket, River grabbed the wand and stared at it.

"I must still be dreaming," She thought aloud to herself. River pinched herself in the arm and yelped out in pain.

"I hate to disappoint you, but you're awake," A voice said behind her. River turned around to see one of the twins in a navy blue sweater, decorated with a golden G on the front.

"If I'm not dreaming, It... it just doesn't make sense" she sighed.

"What do you mean?" George said, frowning slightly.

"If I told you, you'll think I've gone mad. Man, even I think I've gone crazy."

"So what if you have? Life's more fun when you're a bit crazy" George shrugged with a grin.

"Okay then," River took a deep breath and moved her arms to hug herself. "Magic isn't real where I'm from, or at least I never received my Hogwarts letter when I was 11. I was walking through the woods near my house yesterday and before I knew it I wake up in the hospital wing to find out that magic is real and I somehow have a wand and somehow managed to travel back in time. I'm definitely going crazy."

"I don't think you're crazy," he said softly. "Magic... well it's magic, isn't it. If you have a wand, that means you're a witch, so maybe, you magicked yourself here without knowing it?"

"But why now? It makes no sense..."

"Does it need to make sense? Anyway, I'm sure We'll figure it out eventually" George smiled kindly. "Until then, try not to worry too much about it."

"Th-thank you" River sighed. A part of her wished to ask for a hug and almost as if he was reading her mind, George wrapped his arms around her and all her worries seemed to melt away.


	3. 3 - The Hogwarts Express

River loved life at the Burrow. Not only was Molly's cooking excellent, constantly being surrounded by people that liked her felt foreign to River and she rather liked it. In fact, she had never felt this welcomed before.

Fred and George took it as a personal challenge to teach her how to fly a broomstick before September started, leading to the three of them spending most of the daylight hours in an orchard behind the garden, occasionally joined by Ginny, Ron and Harry. Flying was even better than River imagined it to be, even though Bill's old broom had a tendency to drift to the left. They played quidditch with an old quaffle, aiming it through gaps in the trees instead of 50ft tall goalposts. Playing as a chaser was terrifying and exciting, and sometimes a bit painful as the drifting lead to River falling off the broom on numerous occasions, yet as the sun began to set she always walked back into the burrow with a smile on her face, joyfully laughing with her new friends. 

The evenings were always comforting. Sometimes she'd watch as Ron beat everyone at wizards chess, or join in on games of exploding snap, or cuddle next to the fireplace with a cup of tea and a book with Hermione enjoying the peace and quiet until the twin's joke about her being nerdy, and drag her away to talk about their crazy inventions. Yes, life at the Burrow was amazing! But when the lights were turned off and everyone had gone to sleep, River would sit alone in Bill and Charlie's old room and with nothing to distract her, her mind wondered about her world, the things she left behind and the scary thought of 

_' What if I can never go back.' ___

__and the even scarier thought of_ _

___'what if I don't want to go back?'_ _ _

__With everything going on, it took until the morning of the first of September for River to realise the most important thing she knew. Heavy rain was splattering against the window as she got dressed in the clothes she arrived to the burrow in, after spending a week borrowing old sweaters and jeans from the Weasleys it was nice to be back in her own clothes, and Bill was kind enough to let her use his old rucksack and Gryffindor robes so that she could get changed on the train._ _

____

__

It was odd for River to have nothing to pack. Whenever she used to go on holiday with her family or camping with friends it would always take her hours to decide what to bring and check she hadn't forgotten anything. River placed the old stuffed dragon into the rucksack, along with a sketch of a bowtruckle riding a dragon that had fallen off the wall. A part of her felt bad for taking it, but she knew Charlie wouldn't mind. He was a Weasley after all, and if she had learnt anything about the Weasleys from the last week it was that they were some of the most nicest people in the world.

River walked downstairs to see Arthur talking to a face in the fireplace about Mad-eye Moody. A lightbulb turned on in her brain as something she had forgotten resurfaced. She knew the future, or at least she knew a version of the future that would happen if she didn't interfere. It was definitely lucky that she had re-read the harry potter series at the beginning of summer, and now she had the chance to fix things, warn people of danger and maybe... maybe even save some lives as well.

Arthur rushed off to work and the others talked about Mad-eye Moody while River rushed back upstairs and opened a draw on the desk, picking up a mostly empty sketchbook along with some quills and a small pot of ink. She got downstairs just in time to get in the taxi along with Fred, George and Ginny.  
The drive to King's Cross station was nice, even though it was a bit cramped in the back of the car. It was still raining hard as they arrived, causing them all to get soaked as they ran inside the station. River's heart pounded as she walked through the barrier between platform 9 and 10. It was moments like these she thought she must still be dreaming.

The Hogwarts Express was beautiful. Bright scarlet steam engine with clouds of steam already billowing from it, it definitely looked like something magical. River awkwardly stood to the side as everyone said goodbye to Mrs Weasley, only to unexpectedly be pulled into the group hug.

"Thanks for everything Molly" River said, playing with the sleeve of her hoodie.

"It was no problem River, you will always be welcome at the burrow" she smiled. " I'd invite you for Christmas, but ... well, I expect you're all going to want to stay at Hogwarts, what with ... one thing and another."

"Mum!" said Ron irritably. "What d'you two know that we don't" 

"Its classified information Ronald," Bill said with a smile clearly showing he knew something the others didn't. "Although I do sort of wish I was back at Hogwarts this year" He trailed off, hands in pockets looking wistfully at the train.

"I expect you'll find out this evening anyway", said Mrs Weasley. "It's going to be very exciting, although I am very glad they've changed the rules-"

"What rules?!" said Harry, Ron, Fred and George together. A whistle blew and students rushed to get onto the train. By the time the twins had found a suitable compartment to sit in, the pistons hissed loudly and the train began to move.

"Tell us what is happening at Hogwarts!" Fred bellowed out of the window as Mrs Weasley and Bill spread away from them. "What rules are they changing?" Molly just smiled and waved until the train rounded a corner and the station could no longer be seen out of the window.

"You were at Hogwarts this summer weren't you? Did you hear anything about what's going on?" Fred sighed, closing the window.

"Unfortunately not" River said, grabbing the sketchbook and quills from the bag. "I was only in the hospital wing and then apparated straight from there to the Burrow. I only talked to Dumbledore about how I got there anyway"

So far only Dumbledore and the twins knew River was not actually a transfer student from Ilvenmory but none of them knew that in her world, their lives were just a piece of fiction. A part of River hoped she would be able to keep it that way yet she had enough life experience to know the truth will always reveal itself in the end. She just hoped Fred and George didn't hate her when it did.

River half-listened to Fred and George's conversation while continuously writing all that she could remember. By the time she was satisfied she had written all that she could remember about the events of Harry Potter, it was dark outside and the notebook was nearly full. River placed the book back into the bag and changed into the Gryffindor robes.

There was a rumble of thunder as the train pulled up into Hogsmeade station. The rain fell thick and fast it felt like something was continuously pouring buckets of ice cold water over their heads. Fred held onto River's wrist, pulling her along as they ran to get into one of the thestral drawn carriages. The door shut with a snap, and the carriage began moving forwards with a great lurch.

"Are you excited?" George asked, watching the rain race down the window out of the corner of his eye.

"I guess so" River said, pulling out her wand and looking at it. "Its strange that I'll be doing NEWT classes when I don't even have any OWLs. Heck, I've never even casted a spell before, I'll probably be the worst student in all my classes" she laughed.

"Oh, you couldn't be worse than us" Fred grinned.

"Only got 3 OWLs each" George added. "Anyway, there's nothing stopping you from doing magic now" He raised his eyebrows, silently daring River to try.

"O-okay then" River said. She thought quickly of a spell to try and then flicked her wand while thinking Lumos! Suprisingly, a bright light emitted from the tip of her wand. The twins cheered, making River laugh.

From the window she could now see Hogwarts castle slowly getting closer and closer. It truly looked beautiful with its many lighted windows blurred and shimmering behind the thick curtain of rain. Lightning flashed through the sky as the carriage came to a halt before the great oak doors. Once again, the trio found themselves running in a rush to get out of the rain as quickly as possible, up the stone steps, past a ghost carrying what appeared to be a bundle of waterballons, and into the Great Hall.


	4. 4 - The Great Hall

With floating candles and ghosts floating through the walls, the great hall truly looked magical. River found herself staring at the ceiling which was bewitched to look like the sky above it.

The sorting was interesting, with each first-year getting huge applause from their new house. Fred and George hissed as the new Slytherins were sorted.

"What's the point in hissing at them?" River asked, quietly tapping her fingers on the table.

"Well... They're Slytherins, and they're evil" Fred shrugged.

"They are also eleven. Kids may be brats, but they're not evil."

"I don't know what it's like in America, but there isn't a single witch or wizard who went bad who wasn't in Slytherin," Ron said.

"Well if you spend seven years telling someone they're evil, especially when they're just fragile teenagers, well then they're evil because they're told that's what they are, and not because they were born into it. Anyway, Merlin was a Slytherin, right? And he wasn't evil was he?"

An awkward silence settled until it was broke with applause for "Whitby, Kevin!

"I guess they're not all evil," said Fred reluctantly as Professor McGonagall carried away the hat and stool. Students watched as the empty golden dishes filled before their eyes.

It was a nice meal, but River thought that the Yorkshire pudding wasn't quite as good as her father's. She was supposed to be at home eating dinner, texting her friends and dreading having to do college work the next morning. As she ate, River wondered what was going on back in her world. Did they think she had run away? Gotten kidnapped or murdered? Do her friends even miss her, or are they still laughing and having fun, like she never even existed.

"Thinking about America again?" George whispered, face full of concern. River shrugged, helping herself to apple crumble for dessert.

"I guess I just think too much for my own good sometimes" She smiled sadly, not wanting to dwell on her thoughts.

It looked like George was about to say something however the hall fell silent as Dumbledore stood up to talk. At first, there was the usual reminder of banned items, and the Forest being forbidden, and then came the shocking news of the Quidditch Cup being cancelled.

_"What?" ___

Harry gasped. River looked around to see the twins, and a pair of girls she assumed to be Angelina Johnson and Katie Bell all mouthing soundlessly at Dumbledore, apparently too appalled to speak.

"This is due to an event that will be starting in October and continuing throughout the school year" Dumbledore continued. " I have great pleasure in announcing that this year, at Hogwarts -"

There was a deafening rumble of thunder, and the doors of the great hall banged open, reading a man leaning on a long staff, wearing a black travel cloak. Whispers erupted as the man walked with a dull clunk echoing from every other step. Only River knew that this was a death Eater in disguise. A part of her wanted to kill him then and there, without Barty Crouch jr the tri-wizard cup wouldn't turn into a porkey, and Voldemort wouldn't return. Or maybe it would just delay the inevitable. No, she thought to herself, I can't interfere. If I mess up, more lives could be lost.

"May I introduce our new Defence Against the Dark Arts teacher, Proffessor Moody" Dumbledore said brightly. 

"That eye sure is creepy" said Ron, watching as the glass eye swivelled around the great hall.

"What happened to his face?" Hermione whispered.

"I think it got blasted off during the wizarding war" River muttered just as Dumbledore cleared his throat.

"As I was saying, we have the honour of hosting a very exciting event over the coming months, an event which has not been held in over a century. It is my very great pleasure to inform you that the Triwizard Tournament will be taking place at Hogwarts this year"

"YOU'RE JOKING!" said Fred Weasley loudly, causing River to burst out laughing along with nearly everyone else in the hall.

"I am not joking, Mr Weasley" Dumbledore chuckled appreciatively. Already knowing everything about the tournament, River zoned out, thinking about the various outcomes of what would happen if she were to interfere with different events that would take place throughout the year. Should she try to persuade Cedric to not enter the tournament? Would a different Hogwarts champion even make a difference? And if Cedric lives, there's no knowing what he'll do. Is the risk of the unknown worth saving his life?

River followed the twins in silent as they lead the way to the Gryffindor Common room, talking with Harry, Ron and Hermione about the triwizard tournament, dreaming about the possibilities of owning the 1000 galleon prize.

"What do you think River?" Fred asked while Harry and Ron helped Neville out of the trick step.

"I think, the risk outweighs the prize" She replied, "Many people died for the tournament, which is why they stopped it. And although there are now new rules its not like that's going to change the fact the people in charge are complete idiots and that something will probably go wrong, but that is just my opinion."

Fred nodded, slowing his step as we approached the portrait of the fat lady. She was wearing a beautiful light pink dress, and sipping on a glass of red wine.

"Balderdash" George said, and the portrait swung open to reveal a hole in the wall. River climbed through and stared at the common room in amazement. It was even better than she had ever imagined it to be. The many small rounded tables, wooden chairs and clusters of sofas instantly gave the place a cosy feeling, along with the warm lighting from the fireplace in the corner as well as numerous old fashioned wall lamps.

"You're in the way Love" Fred laughed, amused by the awestruck look on River's face. She gave a small yelp before quickly moving out of the way of the portrait so other Gryffindors could enter.

"Sorry!" She said, blushing red with embarrassment. The twins laughed, each putting one arm around her shoulders before directing River to the sofa opposite the fireplace.

"Wait a sec, you called me Love!" River announced, pointing a finger at the twin to her right.

"Wasn't me, I'm George" Fred said with a smirk.

"No you're not" River smiled back.

"And how would you possibly know that?" said George playfully.

"I have my ways" 

The twins watched as she left for the staircase leading to the girls dormitory, waiting until she was out of eyesight to speak.

"Do you realise what's happened Freddie?" George whispered, careful to make sure no one else in the common room overheated. "Until now there were only two groups of people. Us and everyone else. But for the first time, someone's crossed into our world."


	5. Defence Against The Dark Arts

Walking through Hogwarts castle was a nightmare. Without the twins leading her everywhere, River was sure that she would've ended up lost at least twenty times a day. It didn't help that the staircases moved irregularly, statues of armour were always walking about and the people in the paintings often visited each other. As they walked, the twins explained all about what trick steps to look out for, what tapestries were hiding shortcuts behind them and what doors were actually just solid walls just pretending. When River wasn't accompanied by the twins, she sat with Hermione, doing homework or just reading through books borrowed from the library, desperate to know more about magic. In the evenings, River would stay in the corner of the common room, listening to the twins attempts at developing Weasley's Wizard Wheezes and losing many, many games of wizard's chess.

Lessons where interesting. Defence Against the Dark Arts was River's least favourite lesson. She felt sick every time the magical eye looked in her direction. It sucked that she knew who Professor Moody really was yet could do nothing about it. She was almost tempted to, walking in on Friday afternoon to find out he was going to put the Imperius curse on them.

"Dumbledore wants you to be taught what it feels like," said Moody, answering Angelia after she made a statement about it being illegal.

"I doubt Dumbledore knows he's doing this" River muttered to George. "And if he does I might murder him, letting a psychopath do this to children"

"Well, I'd rather be cursed in the safety of a classroom than out there in the real world" Fred shrugged.

"It is kind of unsettling to watch though" George added, staring intensely as Cedric Diggory did a backflip off a table.

"Jones" Moody growled, "You next".

River moved into the middle of the classroom where a clear space had been made from the tables and chairs being stacked up against the walls. Moody raised his wand, pointed it at River and said "Imperio".

It was the most wonderful feeling. All of her worries washed away, and River felt relaxed with a cloudy sense of happiness. It was almost as if she was back at her 17th birthday when all of her friends had pitched in to get vodka and they spent the evening drinking the worries of being a teenager away. Dimly aware of the class watching her, Moody's voice echoed at the back of her mind.

_'Jump onto the desk'_

_'Now that's stupid'. ___

River thought to herself.

_'Sam always said not to do anything stupid while drinking. I have been drinking... haven't I?'_ _'Jump onto the desk'. ___

__The voice said again more firmly._ _

____

___'I'm not doing that, it's stupid.'_ _ _

___'Jump. Now!'_ _ _

___'Wait. Isn't this exactly what happened to Harry?'_ _ _

____

The next thing River felt was considerable pain, snapping her out of the previous hazy state. Her body had tried to jump onto the table while her soul refused, leading to her banging her knee hard against the desk. River groaned, clutching it trying to prevent blood from running down her leg.

"Brilliant Jones! Now let's try that again!"

"Fucking Psychopath" River mumbled, leaning on the twins as they walked out of class an hour later. Moody had insisted on trying to force River to do stuff until she snapped out of it and punched whatever was left of his nose. Her leg hurt like hell and luckily, it stopped bleeding before blood got onto her robes. "He's lucky classes ended early so I didn't have the time to commit murder". 

"I'm so excited to see the Durmstrang students!" Alica squealed. 

"I wonder how they're getting here, I mean it's not like they can take the train right?" said Lee as they reached the portrait of the fat lady.

"Beabaxtons have cartridges pulled by pegasi, and Durmstrang has a boat," River said, hopping through the portrait hole and flopping onto the sofa, relieved that the painful journey to the common room was over.

"How on earth do you know that?" Fred asked raising his eyebrow.

"Read it in a book"

"A book? God, she must be crazy Freddie" George said sarcastically.

"Right you are Georgie, I think I'd rather kiss the giant quid before reading one of those

_things.." ___

__Fred added. River picked up a cushion and threw it at the twins causing Alica, Lee and Angelia to burst out laughing._ _

____

____

"We need to go to the front of the castle to greet the guests," Alica said, trying to stop herself from laughing. Angelia nodded, picking up Alica's and River's schoolbags and running up to the girl's dormitory to put them away while Lee did the same for the boys.

"You coming River?" Fred asked softly, poking the body on the sofa. While everyone else eagerly left the common room.

"Of all the things I could be doing, standing on a leg I whacked into the table a hundred times outside in the cold does not sound like the most appealing option. I think I'd rather just be here, alone, suffering, forever" she sighed dramatically. 

"Well then" Fred smiled. "Let's be alone together."


	6. 6 - Belong

It was odd for the common room to be so quiet, yet River quite liked it. The fireplace crackled, emitting a warm glow. Stretching out, River winced at the stinging in her knee. It was hard to believe she had already spent two months at Hogwarts. Each day was always different, and always filled with talking. From the moment she woke up to the moment she'd go to bed, River's day was full of listening to people talk and joining in on conversations. In fact, River came to the realisation that she hadn't been somewhere so quiet since the walk in the forest that lead her to Hogwarts in the first place. It annoyed her greatly that she still didn't know how she got here, or why it happened. And then there was also the constant guilt of knowing the future, yet feeling like she couldn't do anything about it. After all voldermort needs to come back for Harry to defeat him for good right? And on top of that all, she felt absolutely horrible for abandoning her friends and family to live in some magical world in which she didn't belong.

"Have you ever had to keep a secret?" River asked

"All the time" he grinned, messing up his hair with his hand.

"I mean more of like a big secret, where you want to tell someone but you're just so scared of how they will react if they find out you just... don't"

Fred stopped playing with his hair before slowly turning, looking River in the eye.

"What's going on?" He asked softly.

"I-it doesn't matter-,"

"Of course it matters Love, you're our friend"

"What if..." River took a deep breath, fiddling with the silver ring on her middle finger. "What if I tell you and you don't believe me? Or if I tell you and something happens and it'll be my fault or I tell you and you hate me or-"

Fred placed his hand on top of River's and she stopped rambling yet her mind still raced with all the possibilities of what could go wrong.

_I'm not supposed to exist here. I'm not part of the story. What if I do something that causes more people to die?_

"To be honest, I've never had to keep a secret," Fred said quietly, breaking River away from her thoughts, "I've always had George, and we could never keep secrets from each other. We just... knew, even before we talk about it, but I've always found that talking to him, or anyone really, always makes me feel better because I know I don't have to do things alone. You're not alone River, and I promise that there is nothing you could ever say to make me hate you. 

"O-okay". River looked out of the common room window, to see pegasi flying towards Hogwarts in the distance, pulling a large carriage behind them. Silently, she moved her hand so that she could hold Fred's. 

"Being here isn't only strange because in my world magic isn't real. Growing up my favourite book series was about a boy called Harry Potter. I-I know the future, or at least a version of the future that would've happened if I never came here"

River half expected Fred to laugh, or call her crazy and never speak to her again. Instead, he just gently squeezed her hand reassuringly.

"That's wicked" he smiled.

"You believe me?"

"Well, you always seemed to know more than you were letting on. Plus George and I have been wondering what was hidden in that sketchbook you were writing on the train" 

River laughed as a wave of relief washed over her. "I-I'm glad you know. It was weird not being able to tell anyone."

"Well, you can always talk to me and George now. Apart from when we're sleeping. Lee Jordan snores too loudly we'd never hear ya" Fred joked, making her laugh again.

"So, does our prophet have any words of wisdom?" Fred wiggled his eyebrows.

"As much as I'd love to tell you all that I know, it's too risky. Butterfly effect and all that."

"Butterfly effect?"

"I keep on forgetting you idiots know nothing about science" River chuckled. "I'm sure Hermione would love to explain it to you."

Fred and River continued talking as they walked down to the great hall, neither of them noticing that they were still holding hands as they sat down. Ron was talking dreamily about Victor Krum, disappointed that the Durmstrang students were sitting at the Slytherin table. River tried to ignore the voice in the back of her head telling her that she didn't belong as the plates magically filled with all sorts of cuisine from France and Bulgaria and she spent the rest of the meal just like all the other ones she'd had at Hogwarts, listening to people's conversation and thinking about what was happening in her world and if her friends missed her as much as she missed them.

"Ickle Ronikins seems to have a crush" George mentioned as Fleur Delacour asked for one of the French dishes as countless boys stared at her.

"She is quite pretty, isn't she? I wouldn't be surprised if she was part Veela" said River, "I'm sure Eleanor would love her"

"Who's Eleanor" Ginny asked.

"She's my best friend, from America. I've known her since we were 7. God, she's probably worried sick about me"

"Why?" Ginny asked curiously.

"I-I never got to say goodbye" River smiled sadly. "I just... left" Not knowing what else to say, River returned to eating her dinner. Nearly two months she'd been at Hogwarts now, knowing she did not belong, knowing she was never supposed to be here. As the feast finished and Dumbledore explained more about the Triwizard tournament, River had made up her mind. 

_I must go back. I'll go to the forbidden forest. That's how I got here, so that must be where I can go back home._

River followed the twins in silence as they made their way back to the common room, talking excitedly about getting an ageing potion to trick the age line around the goblet of fire.

"Only a few drops will be needed, after all, we're 17 next April," said George excitedly

"What do you think Love?" Fred turned to ask River, expecting her to be right beside him only to find her several meters behind everyone else, limping slowly up the staircase.

"We can't have that now can we?" Fred grinned, running to her side and sweeping River off her feet bridal style.

"Bloody Hell! Frederick Fabian Weasley put me down!" she shrieked, clinging onto his neck for dear life.

"I can't allow my friend to fall behind now can I?" he smiled. For a second, River thought she actually felt her heart skip a beat. She wondered whether the twins would miss her once she left, and hoped they wouldn't forget her. A part of her wished she could stay but she knew she would never truly belong.


	7. 7 - Antares is bright

River waited until the common room was completely empty and the embers in the fireplace were dying before she left. Walking through the castle in the middle of the night was surreal, it was hard to believe that she was really here, in Hogwarts, and that she was leaving.

Most of the paintings were sleeping and even the staircases seemed to move slower. The further away she got from Gryffindor tower, the more her heart ached. The grief of losing her new friends fought fiercely with the desire to see her family and other friends again. 

_After all, they're just fictional characters. And I don't belong in their world... Right?_

The cold hit her sharply as she slipped between the great wooden doors. With the dim lights from Hagrids hut to guide her, River quickly ran across the field and into the forest.  
She walked slowly, following a path deeper and deeper into the forest until the branches of the canopy blocked out all the moonlight, making her withdraw her wand and whisper 'Lumos'.Glancing behind her, River only saw trees and darkness. A part of her wondered if she had seen the castle, would it have convinced her to go back like a moth to the flame.

Deeper and deeper she walked into the forest. Hour after hour with every small step, fears and hopes, wishes and dreams floated in and out of her mind. Focused, River looked carefully for any sign, not really knowing what she was looking for but she knew she would once she found it. She didn't know exactly what to look for since all she could remember from the day she first arrived was the hazy pain from being attacked by a hippogryph and spending the rest of the day thinking she was in a dream. Nevertheless, River kept on moving forward, careful not to follow the direction the spiders were walking in.

Eventually, the trees thinned out and natural light shined across the woods once more. River didn't know how long she had been walking for but the first signs of dawn filtered through gaps in the branches. Reaching a clearing, her feet stopped and her eyes widened, amazed at the sight in front of her.

Two tree trunks intertwined with each other, producing a portal like hole between them. It truly looked magical, like something out of a fairytale. Entranced, she stepped closer, holding out her hand. Her heart thumped as she held her breath.

_Just one step closer._

"So. You've returned" A voice spoke. Startled, River quickly withdrew her hand and turned around to come face to face with a centaur. "It is dangerous in these woods, especially for your kind. It would be a good idea to go home"

"But-" River could feel her heart beating rapidly, making it hard to think. "H-how do I know? Which way is home?" 

The centaur smiled in the same way a grandparent does after telling a child that they will understand when they're older.

"Antares was bright on the night you returned to this world. As it was on the night you departed from it Eight Hundred and Eighty-Four moons ago."

_Returned? Departed? But that would mean.._

"Your mother found out about the ancient magic hiding in these woods, and used it knowing only one of you would return."

_It couldn't be true. Could it?_

"My mom was a witch?" River let go of the breath she was holding in, more confused than ever. The centaur nodded.

"As was your father."

With those words, River's whole world seemed to crumble around her. Her parents were not her parents. Her family was not her family. Her world was not her world at all and that this place, this fictional world was where she was born.

"My parents, who are they?"

"That is something you'll have to find out yourself."

River gulped, looking at the tree, then at the direction she came from, where Hogwarts was, then back at the tree. She felt weird. She was so sure she needed to go back but now it felt like whatever option she chose would be the wrong answer. If she left and went back, she could return back to her normal life and pretend none of this ever happened but if she stayed, she might be able to save lives in the upcoming war and find out the truth about her parents.

"O-okay," said River. She watched as a white rabbit hopped through the gap in the trees and disappeared. "Thank you sir, for the information"

The centaur nodded and trotted away while muttering something about 'Antares'.

River sat down, leaning her back against the tree, closing her eyes. With deep consideration, she made up her mind.  
The sky was bright when she looked up. River wondered what time it was. Her limbs felt heavy with tiredness as she stood up. She walked quietly, mumbling thoughts out loud to herself under her breath. Not sure which direction would take her back to Hogwarts, she picked a random one. River quickly got bored of walking and thinking, and spent some time performing spells that she could remember off the top of her head.

"Wingardium levioasa" A fallen tree branch rose in the air.

"Engorgio," A shocked bird grew bigger

"Accio car" A light blue car sped past, circled around a tree and stopped in front of her. River laughed in shock, not expecting it to work. Relieved she got in, and the car sped away.

It stopped at the edge of the forest, automatically opening its door for River

"Thank you" she whispered tiredly, patting the roof of the car affectionately. The headlights blinked and the door closed behind her before it sped off back into the forest. Trying to remember all the shortcuts the twins showed her, River walked through the castle, behind tapestries, up moving staircases and eventually with the help of a painting of a little girl collecting flowers in a basket, River made it back to the Gryffindor common room, flopped onto the sofa next to the fireplace and promptly fell asleep.


	8. 8 - The Champions

"River!" A voice shouted, causing her to wake up. Her body ached uncomfortably after falling asleep on the sofa. She sat up, rubbing her eyes to be greeted by two blurred faces with ginger hair.

"We've been looking all over for you,-"

River listened as the twins talked about how they managed to cross the age line surrounding the goblet of fire to end up growing beards before they spent the rest of the day looking for her after she didn't show up to breakfast or lunch.

"-so where have you been?"

"It's a uhhh, long story?" River looked at the coffee table, then on the carpet, and behind the cushions on the sofa.

"What are you looking for?" One of the twins asked. She shrugged her shoulders, stuffing her hand down the side of the sofa.

"My glasses" she mumbled, "I think I was wearing them when I fell asleep. Must've fallen off..."

The twins laughed quietly for a few seconds until one leaned in closer, winked, and then moved back. River blinked a few times before adjusting her glasses to make sure they were really there.

"They were on top of my head the whole time weren't they?" she sighed. "I'm such an idiot sometimes"

"You're our idiot though" George smiled playfully.

Eventually, it was time for the Halloween feast and the reveal of who would be each school's champion. Still tired from her morning adventure in the forbidden forest, River gladly accepted Fred's offer to give her a piggyback ride all the way to the great hall.

"Hope it's Angelina," said Fred as Harry, Ron and Hermione sat down next to them.

"So do I!" said Hermione.

"What about me?" River pouted dramatically. 

"You're 17?!" asked Ron. River nodded in response.

"Was that where you were this morning?" George asked, raising his eyebrow.

"Maybe" she smiled mischievously.

Throughout the feast students constantly were craning their necks and fidgeting, impatient to hear who had been selected. At long last the golden plates returned to their original spotless state and the sharp upswing of voices died out quickly as Dumbledore got to his feet. After a brief explanation, Dumbledore waved his wand: at once, all the candles except those inside carved pumpkins were extinguished, plunging them into a state of semi-darkness. Everyone watched the goblet of fire as its blue flames flickered brightly, waiting eagerly.

"Any second," Lee Jordan whispered.

The flames inside the goblet suddenly turned red. Sparks flew out then a tongue of flame shot into the air, a charred piece of parchment fluttered out of it - the whole room gasped.

"The Champion for Durmstrang, will be Viktor Krum." Dumbledore read in a strong, clear voice. A storm of applause and cheering swept the hall, and the clapping and chatting died down as everyone focused on the goblet again. Twice more this happened, revealing Fleur Delacour and Cedric Diggory as champions. Just as Dumbledore was about to finish speaking, the goblet ignited once more. Dumbledore grabbed the parchment automatically and then with a long pause, during which he stared at the slip in his hand and everyone else in the room stared at Dumbledore. And then he cleared his throat and read out - 

"Harry Potter"

River wished that there was something she could say to comfort him. He looked as confused as a lost puppy while every head had turned to stare at him, some students stood up to get a better look as he sat frozen in his chair.

"I didn't put my name in," Harry said blankly to Ron and Hermione "You know I didn't"

Dumbledore called for Harry again. He stumbled slightly while standing up and walked slowly down the hall and through the door. The second he was out of eyesight, the hall erupted. Shouts of anger and confusion clashed with cheers. River felt sick with worry and before she knew it they were walking out of the hall. Fred held onto her wrist and they walked with a group of hufflepuffs before ducking into the kitchens.

The room was as big as the great hall with mounds of pots and pans heaped around the walls. Four long tables were in the middle, full of empty plates that house elves were quickly piling up and carrying to the sinks for cleaning. One house elf noticed them and immediately came running. 

"The usual?" She asked in a squeaky voice. The twins nodded in response and the three of them watched the elves work in synchronisation, the House Elves happily giving the twins whatever food they wanted. The shortest one gave her a mug of butterbeer which she gladly accepted. It tasted even better than she imaged it to be, even though it wasn't alcoholic.

The common room cheered as they arrived with the goods from the kitchen. Even though everyone just had a feast people were still eager to celebrate and eat more food. It was too loud for River's liking, her feet still ached from her adventure in the forest and her tiredness seemed to amplify the dull pain leftover in her knee. After a while applauding, screaming and whistling broke out as Harry walked through the portrait hole. He slowly made his way out of the crowd and towards the sofa, taking the seat next to me.

"I know you didn't put your name in" River said softly, looking at her nails. She had painted them black on her birthday and now two months later it had mostly come off, with only some small chips of nail polish remaining. 

"Thanks." Harry stared into the fire, "Seems like you're the only one who thinks so"

"They'll understand eventually but until then just... remember you're not alone" he nodded politely before heading up to his dorm, mubling something about being tired. River wished she could tell Harry what was going to happen. She had grown quite fond of him, seeing him as a brother, and it hurt her to know all the pain and suffering he will endure that she could do nothing about.

"C'mon River, you can't just sit around at a party!" Fred shouted above the music playing from a nearby radio. It was a song she'd never heard before so River assumed it was one of those wizard bands, most likely the Weird Sisters. She sighed, accepting Fred's hand and they danced along with George, Lee, Katie and Angelina until Professor McGonagall came storming into the common room in her nightrobe, forcing everyone to go to bed. The pain in River's knee had flared up, it obviously wasn't the best idea to dance but she didn't care. Leaning on Fred for support, the two talked quietly as everyone steadily made their way to their dorms.

"Will you be able to get up the stairs alright?" Fred asked with concern.

"Hmmm. Maybe you should carry me!" River smiled.

"You do know I can't go up the staircase right?"

"Well then, maybe you should carry me up the other staircase" 

"Alright then" Fred grinned, sweeping River off her feet and carrying her up to his dorm. George and Lee had already gone to sleep. River limped to the empty bed and crawled under the covers, quickly joined by Fred. She curled up next to him, listening to his heart beat.

"Thank you" She whispered sleepily. "My friends and I used to always sleep in the same bed after a party and I... Didn't want to be alone tonight I guess..."

"Do you miss them?" Fred asked quietly as he began to play with her hair.

"Every day".

Fred was about to ask another question, when he realised River's breathing had slowed and her eyes were shut. She looked peaceful as she slept, and quite beautiful, like a jar of flowers in front of a window that's looking out on a cloudless sunset, bathing in the warmth of the orange sky.


	9. 9 - The Tree by the Lake

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Hi! I'm sorry it took such a long time for this chapter to be published, I've just been really busy with college work and stuff. Thank you so much for reading!

In the moments when you wake up but still haven't left your bed yet, when you're aware of the day ahead and the things you need to do but the mattress has never felt so soft and the blanket is shrouding you in warmth and you wish you could just lie there forever, in those times River could almost believe she had never stepped foot into the magical world. Her mind would wonder whether or not she'll be late for college as she curled up deeper into the duvet. And then her thoughts would stray to Eleanor and Thalia and all of her other friends that it felt like she hadn't seen in so long. And then her mind will be pulled back to the dream she had where she walked into a forest to end up at Hogwarts, only for her to open her eyes to be greeted by the four-poster beds, with dark red curtains blocking the view to the rest of the dorm, and remember it wasn't a dream at all.

The bed was soft as River awoke, the blanket was warm, and an arm wrapped around her immediately made her feel calm and happy. Not wanting to leave the bed, she buried her head into Fred's shoulder and shuffled under the duvet more.

"Morning Love" Fred whispered softly, making her grin into his chest.

"Mornin'" she mumbled back. They stayed quiet in bed, listening as Lee's snores mixed with the sound of rain gently tapping against the window. Suddenly footsteps bounced across the room and the bed-curtains were pulled open by George who was already dressed.

"GOOD MORNING FREDDIE!" He shouted, making Fred groan.

"Every bloody morning he does this" He complained to River. From her stay at the burrow, it was clear to her that George was a morning person and that Fred, well, was clearly not.

"Woah, 

_Good morning River" ___

__George winked suggestively_ _

____

____

"Mornin' Georgie" she smiled, finally deciding to get up. With a yawn, she grabbed her glasses and left the bed.

"Sleeping with a girl Freddie? How scandalous! And our precious River as well, you should be ashamed of yourself!" George joked, pulling River into a hug, resting his head on top of hers

"I need to go and get dressed George" River sighed, tapping her fingers against his arm that was wrapped around her waist.

"Hmmmmmm, No you don't" 

Fred fumbled around for a bit before passing River some old jeans and a sweater and George let her go so that she could get changed in the bathroom. She walked out wearing a navy blue sweater, embroidered with a golden F in the middle. 

"Time for breakfast!" George yelled excitedly before running down the stairs. River and Fred followed shortly after, while Lee remained in bed, snoring up a storm.

~

The great oak tree next to the black lake was where the twins came up with their best ideas, or at least that's what they told River. She recognised it as the same tree the marauders were sitting around in Snape's memory from the Order of the Phoenix book. Fred and George climbed up and down the tree, swinging from branches like energetic maniacs while River sat quietly, working on potions homework. It was a bright yet slightly cloudy day. As River finished the last sentence of the essay, the twins jumped down and sat beside her. For a few minutes, the three of them were silent. A part of River wondered whether the twins were speaking telepathically. The way that they looked at each other showed that they didn't need words to communicate, that they just knew what the other was thinking. 

_It must be nice to be that close to someone, ___

__she thought._ _

____

____

With a sigh, River moved to lay down. No matter how much her world had changed, there were always small things that stayed the same, like the way the clouds slowly moved across the sky. Sometimes, when she closed her eyes, River could almost trick herself into thinking nothing had changed at all.

"What was it like where you're from?" George asked curiously.

"It was... something" River closed her eyes. "Of course there was no magic. So I went to a muggle school. Got GCSEs, started college. (GCSEs are like OWLs and college or sixth form is when you do A-Levels which would be equivalent to NEWTs). My friends meant everything to me. I've known Eleanor the longest. She's my ride or die, like a sister to me. And then there's Allie, Thalia, Jessie, Mai, Amber and Lily. We just did what normal teenagers do I guess, talk, play board games, complain about school work, and the occasional party. There's nothing quite like the feeling you get when you drink with your friends. Our lives lowkey sucked, but we had each other, and that was all that mattered in the end."

"If you already know what's going to happen here, what's stopping you from going home?" said Fred quietly. 

"I don't know" River sighed. "I don't know everything that will happen anyway. And learning magic is a lot less boring than learning English Law" River debated whether or not to tell the twins that her parents were magical and from this world. After all, they knew her other secrets. However telling them would mean accepting that its true, and River did not know if she was ready to let go. Deep down she knew that if she found out who her parents were, she might never return to the world she grew up in, where harry potter was just a fictional story, and that scared her. She felt sick at the thought of never seeing her friends again, never being able to give them a proper goodbye. But of course, she will go back, right?

"Well until you go back, I guess we'll just have to be your new sisters now" Fred smiled, patting River on the head.

"Does that mean we can have sleepovers and paint each other's nails?"

"Absofuckinglutely"


End file.
